A1-Ring not rebuilt for F1 tilt – Berger

(Inautonews.com/GMM) The Red Bull Ring is ready for formula one but Gerhard Berger doubts its owner is pushing for the return of the Austrian grand prix.

Some years ago, the ten-time grand prix winner co-owned Toro Rosso with countryman and billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, who at a nine-digit multi million Euro cost has rebuilt the former A1-Ring in picturesque Styria.

Mateschitz has played down the prospect of bidding for F1 but has achieved F1-standard homologation for the track, with Bernie Ecclestone admitting Austria’s return to the F1 calendar is “possible” as he attended the circuit relaunch at the weekend.

“The track is completely formula one-capable, there’s no doubt about that,” Berger told the Austrian broadcaster ORF. “And if you know Didi Mateschitz and Red Bull, they always do the maximum.

“On the other hand, I don’t think that (F1) is the idea behind it,” he continued.

“The circuit has not been revitalised to bring a formula one race here, but simply to give a life back to Austrian motor racing. That’s why it has happened in the first place.